


Selfish

by angelskuuipo



Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Genre: Angst, GFY, Gen, Post- Once More With Feeling, venting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-08
Updated: 2016-06-08
Packaged: 2018-07-13 21:04:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 492
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7137068
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/angelskuuipo/pseuds/angelskuuipo
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Giles says he’s leaving for her own good.  Buffy has some things to say about that.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Selfish

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: Recognizable characters are not mine, never have been, never will be…damn it. The story, however, is. Please do not repost or alter without my permission.
> 
> So…I have no idea where this came from. Buffy is not a character I write often or ever really. I don’t like her. Having said that, I was reading a series this morning and got to thinking about how Buffy could have reacted when Giles told her he was leaving ‘for her own good’. And this happened. Big thanks to Gabrielle (Velvetwhip) for looking it over for me.
> 
> Written: June 8, 2016  
> Word Count: 491

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“Why?” Buffy asked. “Why do I have to be the strong one? Why is it always down to me to make the hard calls? When is it my turn to be scared and unsure?”

“You need to stand on your own two feet, Buffy. You need to take responsibility for your life,” Giles replied stiltedly.

“Bullshit.” When Giles opened his mouth, she cut him off with a sharp swipe of her hand. “No, Giles. I am twenty-one years old. I haven’t had a life of my own since I was called at fifteen. I have lost both my parents. I’m expected to take care of my sister and my friends and the house and keep a job to pay bills I can’t afford and slay and keep the world from ending, while you all do what exactly? You bring me back and drop everything into my lap while I’m still trying to figure out how to breathe. 

I _died_ , Giles. Twice. I was _done_. I was supposed to be free. I was at peace. I was in Heaven. I was with my Mom again. But you people couldn’t accept that I was okay and you pulled me back into this hellhole of a world.”

She glared at her so-called friends who were huddling on the other side of the table. “Your selfishness is the reason I’m here. I had to claw my way out of my own grave, because in your eagerness to _save_ me, you couldn’t bother digging me up yourselves.”

Buffy met Giles’s eyes again. “So no, I do _not_ need to stand on my own two feet and take responsibility. It’s my turn to be selfish. I deserve the right to lean on everyone here and take my time in coming to grips with the fact that I don’t get to rest. I don’t get to walk away. I have to figure out how the hell I’m supposed to live again in a world that takes me for granted. I’ve earned that chance at the very least. I’m not going to do a damn thing for any of you until I’ve taken care of _me_.”

She turned and headed for the door to the Magic Box, but stopped and asked over her shoulder, “Are you coming, Dawnie?”

“Do you want me to?” Dawn asked timidly.

“You weren’t a part of what they did. You’re still my family.”

Dawn scooted out from behind Tara and scampered over to her sister. She threw her arms around Buffy and pretended not to notice how she flinched at the contact. “I’m sorry they pulled you from Heaven, from Mom, but I’m really glad you’re here,” she whispered.

Buffy didn’t say anything to that, but she did finally hug Dawn back. “Let’s go home.”

The Summers sisters walked out of the Magic Box without looking back, leaving behind a group of people who were just beginning to realize what a mistake they’d made.

-30-


End file.
